Cherishing memories:
For their size, young children sure can create a lot of artwork and“ creations”, sometimes they seem to create new masterpieces every day! The hard part as a parent is what to do with it all as there can be a LOT of it; do you keep it, or throw it? Artwork can be a great visual memory of how far your child has developed.... watch as your child’ s pictures develop with more detail and consideration. From a few crazy scribbles on a page, to a simple stick person, through to one with a face and pretty dress looking at the sunny sky while dancing through the flowers! Here are a few ideas for you to deal with the piles of artwork in your house:
Display It
Put the artwork on display... children love to see their creations on show.
Hang up a piece of string and use little pegs to clip the art work up. This is an easy way to swap out new artwork.
Use a corkboard, clipboards or even a coathanger to hang artwork up and display; super easy and cheap!
Be creative – paint a wall in chalkboard paint and stick your pictures to this with blutack. You can then use chalk to draw frames around the pictures. Or why not try painting a wall with magnetic paint and use magnets to clip up artwork to the wall.
The Child Artist
Frame it – buy some cheap frames and put your children’ s artwork up on the wall in pride of place.
Cut them up into smaller pieces to make a mosaic type picture – see tutorial on page 8.
Archive It
Create folders that you can stick artwork into.... pick your favourite ones and file away. Make sure you date the picture and the child’ s age so you don’ t forget when they were done.
Take photos of the artwork, this way you can still keep the artwork to look at but it takes up a whole less space! You could also then use the photos in frames and canvas prints etc.
Upcycle It
Got a creative bent yourself? Why not try turning your child’ s artwork into a toy, an embroidery hoop or put it on a t-shirt or teatowel?
This is a great idea as it brings their picture to life and would make a great keepsake or a present for your extended family. If you don’ t have the skills nor the time there are plenty of clever people out there that can do it for you.
Images courtesy of: 1. Mondocherry 2. Mondocherry 3. & 4. Little Artist 5. Childs Own
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